Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 348

Chapter 448 The Diligent King Qi

There is a clear dividing line between the imperial court and the martial arts world, and the term "chivalrous and righteous" is usually not favored by those who make the laws.

However, in reality, the imperial court and the martial arts world cannot be completely separate like parallel lines; on the contrary, they are inseparable.

As staunch rebels against the previous empire, even though the new empire's ruler is a friend of the Mohists... getting the Mohists to abandon their tradition of chivalry and serve the court would still make Gao Jianli, the Grand Master, and the surviving commanders hesitate.

Even though they had served the Yan Kingdom and King Dan of Yan more than ten years ago, it was because King Dan personally served as the Grand Master, the Yan Kingdom did not restrict the development of the Mo Xia, and there was the natural enemy of the tyrannical Qin Dynasty. These and many other reasons combined to lead to that cooperation.

Now, the King of Qi has proposed that the Mohist school be completely integrated into the new empire, which is tantamount to completely changing the Mohist school.

In comparison, the fact that they were cooperating with their enemy, the Gongshu family, was not the biggest contradiction.

"Your Highness, regarding this matter... I'm afraid the Mohists cannot give an immediate answer."

Although Gao Jianli was grateful to Lu Wei, he did not agree to the crucial choice out of personal feelings or because of his status as a powerful figure.

The touch of the Mo family's lost and recovered Mo Mei made him feel somewhat guilty as he spoke, and he dared not look Lu Wei in the eye: Gao Jianli was afraid that he would lose his duty as the leader of the Mo family because of guilt and impulsiveness.

In his view, his friendship with Lu Wei lasted for more than 20 years.

For more than twenty years, the Mohists did nothing for Lu Wei and the Farmers. On the contrary, Lu Wei saved his life first and then gave him the Hao Zhongqin twice. When the Mohists faced the crisis of destruction in Sanghai, the Farmers kindly took them in.

Now, even the Black Eyebrow Sword and the Non-Aggression Sword, which were stolen by the tyrannical Qin Dynasty, have been found and returned to them in a righteous manner...

Correspondingly, the role played by the Mo family's mechanical beasts in the war could not be considered as repaying a debt of gratitude, but rather as the peasants carrying out their good intentions of avenging the tyrannical Qin Dynasty, and also as a debt of gratitude that the Mo family owed to the peasants.

Given the already heavy debts owed, refusing to serve Lu Wei's newly established empire was something Gao Jianli couldn't shake off from his conscience...

'It's merely becoming a department of the new empire; ultimately, it's about serving the people, not acting as lackeys of the tyrannical Qin Dynasty. Yet, the Mohist school is unwilling to relinquish its Mohist chivalrous heritage...'

Before Lu Weihai said anything, Gao Jianli first condemned himself in his heart.

"The Gongshu family and the Mo family are sworn enemies. I have never liked these hypocrites..." Gongshu Chou spoke up at the right moment, his ugly face smiling obsequiously: "But His Highness Prince Qi has given the order, and the Gongshu family will obey the king's decree at all costs, even at the cost of death."

At this point, he turned his head slightly to look at the two Mo family members beside him and chuckled, "Even if the Mo family is unwilling, my Gongshu family can still provide all the mechanical beasts and tools needed for the construction of the empire."

This is less a mockery of the Mohists and more an attempt to coerce them into submission on Lu Wei's behalf: if the Gongshu family continues to be the official family of the new empire, they will completely suppress the Mohists.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Gao Jianli and Master Ban's expressions clearly changed.

Logically, Gongshu Chou should have wanted the Mohists to return to the martial world and become their Mohist knights. If he really wanted to do that, he shouldn't have said such things at this time. But ultimately, things are not up to him: His Highness Prince Qi, who holds a high position above, is the one in control.

His Highness Prince Qi must want the Mohists and the Gongshu family to serve the empire together, a decision that Gongshu Chou has no choice but to accept, even if he is unhappy about it.

As the sole victor in the rebellion against the tyrannical Qin Dynasty, His Highness the King of Qi enjoys unparalleled prestige throughout the land. With the help of his prestige, he can accomplish anything he desires.

Given this situation, and faced with an unchangeable reality, Gongshu Chou understood how he could help the Gongshu family gain the greatest benefit in their competition with the Mohists: unconditionally follow in the footsteps of His Highness the King of Qi.

Even if it means that the interests of the Gongshu family will be harmed in the process.

The more the Gongsun family's interests are damaged, the more they will gain.

'I have decades of experience dealing with important figures in Qin. How could those rigid Mohists possibly outwit me in the court?'

Feeling smug, Gongshu Chou deliberately showed a triumphant smile to Gao Jianli and Master Ban, which could be described as an impromptu performance after knowing the king's intentions in advance.

Sitting high above, watching Gongshu Chou's added drama below, Lu Wei smiled faintly: It seems that after missing the opportunity to betray Qin and Qi at the first moment on the mirage, Gongshu Chou is trying his best to make up for it.

Such obedient ministers, whose desires are limited to mechanical arts, are quite favored by the monarch, even if they are somewhat ugly.

"Very well, I am not an uncompromising tyrant, and I will not force anyone to be my subject."

Lu Wei coughed lightly, interrupting the old rivals, Master Ban and Gongshu Chou, from their 'winking and exchanging glances.' As soon as he spoke, the three of them immediately sat up straight and listened respectfully.

"Since the Gongshu family is willing, they can go to Chief Clerk Xiao's place later to await his orders... As for the Mohists..."

Lu Wei stood up, paced back and forth for a moment, and sighed, “The various schools of thought are all interconnected. Although I am now the ruler of a country, I am also the leader of the Farmer School and have a deep friendship with the Mohists.”

"Xiao Gao, when you return, you can present my intentions to the commander for discussion. If the majority are willing to join the empire, the peasant family will be extremely welcoming. If not, I will grant you the mountainous area where the ruins of the Mechanized City are located. The Mo family can go back and rebuild the Mechanized City and continue to carry on the spirit of the Mo knights."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty!"

The three men, their thoughts in turmoil, withdrew. Upon returning to their temporary residence in Xianyang City, Gao Jianli immediately sought out Dao Zhi and Kuang Xiu and recounted the incident to them.

After the Mohist school failed in its assassination attempt on Qin Shi Huang, it hid in Daze Mountain for a while. Later, when the uprising broke out, the Mohists followed the army all the way. Apart from a few leaders, the other disciples who were skilled in mechanical arts also played a role in maintaining the equipment in the army.

Because they were all doing logistical work, the Mohists were surprisingly spared from suffering any losses in a brutal war.

It's important to know that prior to this, every action the Mo family took on the martial arts world had resulted in devastating losses...

As for why Gao Jianli only sought out Dao Zhi Kuang Xiu, it was because the only Mohist leaders in Xianyang were Dao Zhi Kuang Xiu, who had accompanied the army on the expedition, and Master Ban, who had returned from the southern army.

Master Xu, Butcher Ding, and Yan Yun all stayed in Daze Mountain because of their expertise. They were to accompany the Linzi court to Guanzhong, and it would take them another ten days or so to arrive.

Such a momentous matter certainly required a vote by all the leaders, a decision based on their collective will. However, because it was so important, they needed to debate it before the other leaders arrived...

------

Back when he was a member of the martial arts world, Lu Wei desperately wanted the martial arts world to be under the jurisdiction of the state, because any action taken by any dynasty would be an infringement on his rights.

Now that his identity has changed, Lu Wei hopes to use the power of the imperial court to bring the entire martial arts world under his complete control.

His double standards have always been like this.

The world is vast, and the most crucial elements are undoubtedly the ancient schools of thought from the Hundred Schools of Thought period.

Lu Wei summoned the Mohists and the Gongshu School during the day. Even though the Mohists didn't directly agree, they couldn't escape Lu Wei's grasp: once they entered Guanzhong, they couldn't leave so easily.

Refusing His Highness Prince Qi is an extremely difficult decision.

That evening, the diligent Prince Qi summoned the leaders of the medical and Taoist schools, attempting to discuss their respective schools' place in the new empire.

Chapter 449 See You Again

Although His Highness Prince Qi rarely engages in combat personally anymore, his swordsmanship remains superb, easily defeating Xiaomeng and Duanmu Rong.

Despite their numerical advantage, the two women were still defeated, drenched in sweat.

The Guanzhong Plain is cold and frigid in winter. The exercise made the three of them feel very hot and dry, making them susceptible to typhoid fever.

Fortunately, Emperor Qin Er Shi had already prepared a heated pool in the palace for Lu Wei. In order to appease the various schools of thought, His Highness the Prince of Qi kindly invited the two women to bathe together to relieve their fatigue.

Master Xiaomeng's lips curled into a smile, a half-smile blooming on her cold and beautiful face. Without any shyness, she took elegant steps and stepped into the pool first, submerging half of her body underwater.

Not to be outdone, Duanmu Rong puffed out her chest and entered the warm pool as well.

The sight of the two female mandarin ducks playing in the water was breathtaking, but Lu Wei was in no hurry to join in. Instead, he sat by the pool and casually asked, "The physician knows about our relationship. What is the content of the request he asked you to bring?"

The target of this question is naturally Little Fairy Doctor.

"The main branch of the medical school didn't make any excessive requests. They only asked for the inheritance of medical skills. I also conveyed to them the king's requirement that half of the medical school's disciples who graduate each year enter the court. The elders of the medical school had no objections."

Duanmu Rong frowned slightly, as if she had suddenly thought of something troublesome: "However, Xia Wuqie, the physician from the Former Qin Dynasty, is my junior brother in terms of seniority, he..."

Hesitantly, Little Fairy Doctor's eyes darted away from Lu Wei's figure, but she still did not choose to hide it: "He said he knows Ying Zheng's secret to immortality and hopes to offer it to Your Majesty."

"Xia Wuqie who joined the Luo Wang?" Upon hearing this name, Lu Wei chuckled as he pondered: Duanmu Rong's reaction was clearly because she was worried that he, Lu Wei, was also pursuing the immortality technique sought by Ying Zheng.

"Ying Zheng pursued immortality his whole life, but in the end he only lived to be less than fifty years old. As his physician, Xia Wuqie was undoubtedly derelict in his duty."

"Who would dare to use such a secret technique for achieving immortality?"

Xia Wuqie was a disciple of the medical school, but in the later stages he clearly relied more on his identity as a member of the Luo Wang organization. As a physician trusted by Ying Zheng, he contributed a lot to the Luo Wang organization.

After Zhao Gao was executed along with his entire clan, Xia Wuqie, as Zhao Gao's confidant, was imprisoned. Rumors began to circulate that the First Emperor's death was not normal, but rather that Zhao Gao and Huhai had used him to murder the emperor and usurp the throne.

If the Qi army hadn't arrived so quickly, this man would probably have already been tortured and executed.

The real purpose of offering this so-called art of immortality is primarily to save one's life, and perhaps even to gain the same level of trust from Lu Wei as Ying Zheng did.

However, Lu Wei would not give him another chance to make a name for himself by attempting to assassinate the King of Qin.

"Indeed." Duanmu Rong nodded seriously and said solemnly, "This man is wicked; we should expel him from Guanzhong!"

As a doctor, and considering that the other person was, after all, her junior brother, she couldn't bring herself to suggest execution.

"I will have Chen Ping handle this matter, so you don't need to feel guilty."

"Um..."

Seeing that Lu Wei said that, Duanmu Rong put it out of her mind and conveyed all the information she needed to.

The physicians' peaceful and unambitious nature did not change with the change of dynasties, but because of their original good relationship with the farmers, they would be much more friendly to the new dynasty.

"Chen Ping?" Xiaomeng suddenly spoke up: "You use disciples of the Taoist Humanist sect to govern the country, do you believe that they are the true orthodox Taoists?"

After Lu Wei ascended to the position, very few people dared to address him directly as "you," and Xiao Meng was undoubtedly the boldest among them.

Lu Wei had slightly altered her views, but her free-spirited nature remained. Just now, she even dared to demand that she be on top in front of Duanmu Rong. This attitude made the usually aloof Little Fairy Doctor feel competitive and become quite unrestrained, giving Prince Qi an extraordinary and unique experience.

Xiaomeng had been accompanying the army on campaigns since outside Hangu Pass. She could not hide the Taoist internal energy in Chen Ping's body from her perception. However, she had not had the opportunity to ask before. Now that it was suddenly brought up, she began to bring up the conflict between the Taoist traditions.

This is a difficult question to answer. To be fair, the Human Sect, to which Xiao He and Chen Ping belonged, was indeed much more useful in governing the country. However, His Highness Prince Qi remained calm and answered, "The orthodoxy of Taoism should be determined by Taoism itself. Although I am a mortal emperor, I will not interfere in the internal affairs of Taoism."

Such an answer was clearly an attempt to evade the question, but his statement that he would not interfere in Taoist affairs was already the answer Xiaomeng wanted.

So the white-haired girl nodded in satisfaction and didn't pester him.

"Actually, I have reserved a place for the Heavenly Sect to seek the Dao in the palace in the new capital of Chang'an. It is close to the human world and the future leader of the Heavenly Sect will live there, so that it will be convenient to express the attitude of the Heavenly Sect to the world."

Lu Wei added, his wolfish ambitions obvious.

Xiaomeng is the head of the Tianzong sect, and like the Yin-Yang school, she is not suitable to enter the palace as a concubine. But who says that she can't stay by Prince Qi's side if she doesn't become a concubine?

Retaining her identity as the leader of the Heavenly Sect to cultivate her temperament is not a bad thing.

"Very well." Xiaomeng raised her head aloofly, her eyes strange. "When I return to Taiyi Mountain, I will select an elder to pass on the position of sect leader and send him to the palace."

With a soft chuckle, the white-haired girl herself laughed as she spoke, like a blooming white flower, carrying the delicate tenderness of youth.

She was clearly in a good mood, and even cracked a joke, which is unusual for her.

Even when her fair, delicate legs lifted out of the water and then slammed back down, splashes of water hit Lu Wei's face at the edge of the pool.

Such an invitation could not possibly go unnoticed by His Highness Prince Qi, who promptly leaped into the warm pool, demonstrating his sincerity in inviting the medical and Taoist practitioners through his own actions...

------

The flying white bird encountered an interception by flying mechanical beasts twenty miles outside Xianyang City: apart from the Vermilion Bird, a special chariot made by the Mohists for the King of Qi, no other flying objects are allowed to enter Xianyang City.

Bai Feng glanced at Wei Zhuang, and at his signal, did not force his way in. He obediently landed and accepted the inspection of the Qi army patrol. After learning that he had been summoned by His Highness the King of Qi and checking his documents, Bai Feng did not make things difficult for them. He even pointed out the direction of the city gate to Liu Sha and Zhao Tuo.

Unable to fly, they had to travel on foot, a torment for the Quicksand trio who were used to ignoring the rules of others. However, Wei Zhuang eventually endured it in the face of these weak Qi soldiers.